An Update on the City's Bikeshare Program
March 4, 2022 |by Erik Torkells
••• "One year after a highly fraught launch, it remains to be seen just how well BCycle's fleet of 140 white e-bikes scratches Santa Barbara's itch for alternative transportation. With 81,000 trips under the company's Santa Barbara belt—and 320,500 miles traveled—the downtown program is operating only slightly more than 50 percent its projected capacity." —Independent
••• "The county Board of Supervisors this week expanded the burgeoning cannabis industry in the North County and Carpinteria Valley, removing processing buildings from the acreage caps on cultivation there." No surprise, of course; the board reliably caves to the cannabis industry. But then there was this: supervisor Das "Williams, who lives in Carpinteria, said he's rarely smelled cannabis." —Newsmakers
••• The L.A. Times reviewed the Santa Barbara Museum of Art's "Through Vincent's Eyes: Van Gogh and His Sources," calling it "surprisingly engrossing […] because a show like this, surveying influence, is tough to pull off."
••• Santa Barbara County district attorney Joyce Dudley announced that she won't seek re-election. —Newsmakers
••• "The Santa Barbara Fair & Expo is set to open at the Earl Warren Showgrounds on April 27, and organizers have opened up the call for exhibitions. […] Exhibits will include art, crafts, collections, baked goods, table settings, jewelry, floral arrangements, quilting, knitting, writing, photography and more." —KSBY
••• An unnamed "'notable' health care brand based in Southern California" leased all 22,000 square feet at what appears to be 111 E. Victoria Street. Oddly, the Pacific Coast Business Times doesn't mention the address.
••• "The Sea Center on Stearns Wharf will reopen on March 12 with infrastructure upgrades and a revitalized upstairs exhibit after being closed for six months of work. The new upstairs space, called 'Dive In: Our Changing Channel,' will guide visitors through the underwater world of the Santa Barbara Channel and highlight its unique species and habitats." —KEYT
••• Another change in Covid guidelines: "Governor Gavin Newsom announced on February 28 that after March 11, masks will not be required in schools and childcare facilities but will be strongly recommended. In addition, starting March 1, masks will no longer be required for unvaccinated individuals in 'general settings,' but will be strongly recommended for all individuals in most indoor settings." —Independent
Tags: 111 E. Victoria Street, BCycle, Das Williams, Joyce Dudley, Santa Barbara Fair & Expo, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Sea Center